Durkwa says at first officials heard two soldiers had died. But he said "when we got there today, we discovered the number of lives lost was far beyond that." He says he can't give a specific death toll.

His account contradicts Nigerian army spokesman Sani Kukasheka Usman, who had said soldiers in Magumeri succeeded in repelling an attack on the town.

The deputy governor says a police officer was also killed and the hospital was looted of medicine.